


Bah, Humbug!

by My_Alter_Ego



Series: Holidays [6]
Category: White Collar (TV 2009)
Genre: Christmas Presents, Gen, christmas cheer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-17
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:40:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28128504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/My_Alter_Ego/pseuds/My_Alter_Ego
Summary: It doesn’t seem likely that Neal Caffrey and Reese Hughes will ever be friends.
Relationships: Neal Caffrey & Reese Hughes
Series: Holidays [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2025623
Comments: 2
Kudos: 34





	Bah, Humbug!

It was the day before Christmas and there was an understated holiday party atmosphere in the White Collar office. Neal had already delivered his present to Peter—a tasteful silk Hermes creation to replace that yellow monstrosity his handler insisted was his lucky tie. Agents in the bullpen were exchanging their own small gifts and visiting an eclectic spread of home baked and store-bought items in the breakroom. Neal had distributed small tins of cookies to his coworkers from the bakery he still owned, and also generously provided two yule logs for the long tables festooned with poinsettias. Reese Hughes took in the scene from his elevated throne on the second level. He watched the FBI’s indentured serf with interest. Hughes knew everything that went on in his little kingdom, and he rarely forgot a thing. He was aware of Caffrey’s past foray into the baked goods retail world. It was puzzling, but so far, not grounds for concern. However, Hughes was a little rattled when Caffrey appeared at his office door with a square box in his hands.

“Happy Holidays, Sir,” the young felon said deferentially as he slid it onto Hughes’ desk.

“That better not be fruitcake, Caffrey. I hate fruitcake!” the old man grumbled less than graciously.

Caffrey just smiled, and Hughes thought he heard a murmuring of “Bah, Humbug,” as the con man beat a hasty retreat.

Hughes felt like an ungrateful Scrooge when he later opened the box at home. There wasn’t one piece of dried fruit to be found. Instead, a bottle of Chivas Regal was nestled in a royal purple drawstring pouch secured with a gold tasseled cord. The cheeky ex-convict had added a note that said, _“Nectar for gods and kings.”_ Suddenly, Hughes began to wonder if Caffrey had just taken a cheap shot—no, make that an “expensive” shot, at his lord and master. 


End file.
